Automatic car coupler



June 6, 1933. E. w. SIMM NS AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLER Filed March 4, 1951 gwnnntoa L X T Ernesfm'lliam Simmms Patented June 6 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i ERNEST WILLIAM SIMMONS, OF

MARFRANGE, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR F 0NE- THIRD TO JAMES H. GIBSON, OF MARFRANCE, WEST VIRGINIA, AND ONEeTHIRD T0 ROY H. NELSON, OF QUINWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLER Application filed March 4 1931. Serial No. 520,102.

This invention relates to an automatic car coupler designed primarily for use in connection with mine cars, but it is to be understood that a car coupler in accordance with this invention may be employed inany connection for which it may be found applicable, and the invention has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a coupler for cars so constructed and arranged to insure for expeditious and auto matic coupling of a pair of cars together, and further including means for quickly releasing the coupled cars from each other when occasion requires, as well as also including resilient and flexible means for reducing to a minimum the accidental uncoupling of the cars when rounding a curve.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a resilient, flexible, spring controlled automatic car coupler which is comparatively simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient in its use, convenientlyreleased when occasion requires, readilyassembled, quickly installed with respect to a car, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

NVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically 'described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in sectional plan of a pair of mine cars showing the adaptation therewith of an automatic car coupler in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the coupler when in coupling position with respect to a pair of mine cars. Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3F1gure 1.

1 coupling cars 1 and 2 together.

- largement 23 Figure 4 is a front elevation of a coupler 24 head.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 and'2 indicates a pair of mine cars provided with bumpers 3, 4 respectively and illustrating the cars coupled by an automatic car coupler in accordance with this invention.

The coupler includes a draw bar casing 5 having offset end flanges 6 at the ends thereof and through which extend holdfast devices 7 for fixedly securing casing 5 to the bottom 8 of the car 2. The flanges 6 in connection with the holdfast devices 7 suspend casing 5 from the bottom 8 of the car 2. The casing 5 is formed with a lengthwise extending bore 9 whichopens into a cylindrical chamber 10 and the latter opens into a cylindrical chamber 11 of greater diameter than the chamber 10; At the point of communication of the chamber 10 with the chamber llthe casing 5 is provided with a shoulder 12. That end of the chamber 11 which is opposite the end which communicates with chamber 10 is closed by aperip-herally threaded disk 13. Extending through the bore 9, through chamber 10 and into chamber 11 is a draw bar 14:, provided with a head 15 which opcrates in chamber 11 and has arranged in the path thereof the shoulder 12, the latter acting as a stop to arrest further forward movement of the draw bar 14 when head 15 abuts shoulder 12. Surrounding the draw bar 14 and interposed between the forward end of chamber 10 and the head 15 of the draw bar 14 is a cushioning spring 16. The forward end of the draw as at 17 a flexible pull memberlS preferably in the form of a chain and is so illustrated. Loosely connected to the forward end of member 18 is a coupling pin 19 formed of a cylindrical shank 20, having itsrear end provided with a semi-spherical head 21 formed with a rearwardly directed lug 22 to which the member 18 is attached. The forward end of shank 2O terminates in a cylindrical enlargement 23 constituting an abutment and associating with a pair of couplingheads to be presently referred to for the purpose of e The enterminates in a tapered portion The coupler also includes a pair of oppo bar lthas connected thereto,

sitely disposed, spring controlled coupler heads referred to generally at 25 and which coaet with the abutment provided by the enlargement 23 for coupling the cars 1 and 2 together. As the coupling heads are of like construction, but one will be described as the description of one will apply to the other. Each coupling head 25 comprises a rectangular body portion 26 standing on a lengthwise edge thereof and formed at its outer end with a rectangular opening 27. The inner end of body portion 26 is provided with a projection 28 having a semi-circular outer end edge 29. The projection 28 is of less width and thickness than that of body portion 26 and has its inner face flush with the inner face ofthe latter. The side edges of projection 28 are spaced equi-distant from the lengthwise edges of the body portion 26. The inner end of body portion 26 has a tapered dished out portion 30 which extends to the edge 29 of the projection 28. The width of portion 30 is greater than that of projection 28. The front face of projection 28 forms a reduced continuation of the portion 30. The edge 29 of one projection 28 coacts with the edge 29 of the other projection 28 to provide a circular opening having its wall surrounding the shank when the pin 19 is in coupling position. The heads are spring controlled and the projections 28 normally abut and when abutting provide the opening. The said circular opening provided when the heads 25 abut is of less diameter than the enlargement 23. he rear faces of the projections 28 constitute stops which are engaged by the outer face of the enlargement 23 and prevent the passage of the pin 19 from the position shown in Figure 2 as the draw bar 14 is pulling. The dished out portion facilitates the separation of the heads 25 in opposite directions and the taperedportion 24 acts to shift heads 25 in opposite directions. The dished out portions 30 preferably constitute a guide for centering the pin 19 when the latter is being shifted to coupling position. Mounted in the'opening 27 at the outer end of-each coupling head 25 is a controlling spring 30 and these springs act to maintain the heads 25 normally in abutting position. I

The bumper 4 includes a tapered opening 31 which at its outer or reduced end merges into a semi-spherical recess 32, the latter providing a seat upon which the head 31 of the coupling pin 19 shifts when the latter is moved sidewise relative to the bumper 4. The lug 22 of the head 21 is arranged in opening 31. I V The bumper 3 has a flaring opening 33 for the passage of shank 20 of the coupling pin 19 and said opening 33 has its inner or smaller.

end register with the outer end of the tapered cavity 30 provided at the inner end of the heads 25 when they are in abutting relation.

The bumper 3 is also formed with a chamber 35 in which the heads 25 are shiftably mounted. The controlling springs 30 are interposed between the end walls of chamber 35 and the inner walls of the opening 27 The bumper 3 is further formed with a tapered opening 36 adapted to have its inner end register with the opening provided by the edges 29 of the projections 28 when the heads 25 are in abutting relation. Vhen the heads 25 are in abutting relation the projections 28 extend partly across the inner end of the opening 36. The enlarged portion 23 of the pin 19 which constitutes an abutment is positioned within the opening 36 and the tapered end 24 of pin 19 projects beyond the inner or enlarged end of opening 36. The bumper 3 is also formed with a pair of spaced slots 37 which communicate with the chamber 35 and a slot is positioned at each side of opening 36 and spaced a substantial distance from the latter.

The coupler includes means for shifting the heads 25 away from each other to provide for the release of the coupling pin 19 when coupling the cars 1 and 2 and such means consists of a pair of pins 38, each connected to a head 25 and extending through a slot 37 and projecting beyond the slots. Connected to one of the pins 38 is the vertical leg 39 of an angle shaped lever 40. The other leg of the lever 40 is arranged below the opening 36. The leg 39 extends upwardly from the other leg of lever 40. Connected to the other pin 38 is the vertically disposed depending leg 41 of an angle shaped lever 42, the latter being of less length than the lever 40.

An operating lever 43 is provided for the levers 40, 41. The lever 40 is pivoted as at 44 to the lower end of lever 43 and the lever 42 is pivoted as at 45 to the lever 43 above the pivot 46 for the latter. The lever 43 extends upwardly through a slot 47 provided in the top of the bumper 3. By this arrangement the coupler can be shifted to released position from above bumper 3. i

The flexible member 18 and controlling spring 16 provides a flexible resilient connection coacting with the draw bar 14to prevent the accidental uncoupling of the cars when rounding curves.

The coupling pin 19, in connection with the spring controlled coupling heads 25 provide for the automatic operation of the coupler when the car 1 is moved in a direction towards car 2 or car 2 moved in a direction towards car 1. The spring 16 normally maintains the coupling pin 19 in alignment with the longitudinal median of the car 2 and when pin 19 passes through the coupling heads 25 the head 21 abuts against the wall of therecess or cavity 42 and the spring '16 tends to maintain the pin 19 in the position shown in Figure l.

What I claim is In a car coupler, in combination, a bumper formed with a centrally arranged pair of spaced, endwise aligning, oppositely disposed tapering openings, arectangular chamber interposed between and extending at right angles to said openings and a pair of end- Wise aligning spaced slots disposed parallel to, rearwardly of and communicating with said chamber, said openings being disposed centrally with respect to said chamber, and one arrangedbetweensaid slots, a pair of oppositely disposed rectangular, endwise aligning,

spring controlled, normally abutting coupling heads slidably mounted in said chamber and each having its inner end formed with a tapered dished out portion and a centrally disposed projection, said projection providing a continuation of and being ofless width than the base of such portion, said projections having semi-circular end edges coacting when the heads abut to provide a coupling pin stop and a circularopening, the latter aligningwith and being of less diameter than the outer end of one of the openings of said pair of openings, said portions coacting when the heads abut to provide a tapered cavity for registering with the inner end of the other opening of said pair of'openings, pins fixed to said heads and slidably mounted in and extended from said slots, and a lever mechanism for shifting said heads pivoted to the bumper and to said pins.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

ERNEST WILLIAM SIMMONS. 

